John Edwards suspends campaign

Today John Edwards ended his campaign for the Democratic nomination for president. A Time.com analysis entitled "Why Edwards Never Caught On" argues that the reason Edwards campaign did not catch on despite the fact that he "arguably won a majority of the debates" was because Senator Obama filled the outsider, anti-establishment role: "Suddenly Edwards was running against a version of himself in 2004: the young, fresh, optimistic face, the Washington outsider with a thin resume but lots of charm."

It may be true that Obama's success is the reason for Edwards withdrawal. But I believe the underlying reason that Edwards campaign did not catch on has more to do with how the media plays a large role in determining which candidates should be taken seriously. I supported Edwards because I believe he stood for progressive values and policies that could be supported by the American public. If the media reported more on the issues and where the candidates stood, then maybe Edwards would still be in the race. Instead, the media circus treats the election as a sporting contest by focusing on which candidate raised how much money, got which celebrity endorsement and how many points in a poll.

Despite the distraction away from substantive issues, I hope the focus that Edwards brought on issues such as poverty, health care and withdrawal from Iraq will have an impact that lasts longer than his campaign.

Update: I hope there is a "Edwards Effect" as Krugman puts it.